1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for disposal of cigarette waste; and, more specifically, to an indoor or an outdoor cigarette urn that allows easy clean-up of cigarette remnants and prevents unpleasant odors from escaping into a surrounding environment. The present invention also relates to an indoor or an outdoor cigarette urn that can be packaged, shipped and stored in a compact state and then assembled into a use state that presents one or more smoking waste insertion openings at a raised height above the ground to thereby enable smokers to easy dispose of their cigarette remnants and other waste.
2. Background Art
Even with the ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, and other public places in some states, the number of smokers did not decline. In the states where the ban is in effect, smokers congregate in front of buildings to smoke. While smoking in front of a building, smokers' cigarettes produce a lot of ashes and burnt cigarette remnants. Typically, a smoker would tap on a cigarette to shake off the ashes. The ashes spread in the air and then fall on the ground. This causes pollution, dirt, and other unsightly conditions to spread around. Similarly, many smokers throw burnt cigarette remnants on the street as well. Some smokers even throw out lit cigarettes without extinguishing. This causes cigarettes to continue burning and spreading unpleasant smells and creating fire hazards.
In the states where smoking is allowed in restaurants, bars, and other public places, smokers typically shake off cigarette ashes and extinguish cigarettes in an ashtray. Besides being unsightly, burning or burnt cigarettes in an ashtray spread unpleasant smells to the surrounding environment if ashtrays are not immediately cleaned. Even if ashtrays are immediately cleaned, some of the cigarettes can still be burning and, thus, cause fires in trash compactors.
There have been many attempts to find a solution to the above problems. Some solutions prevent littering of the environment from the ashes and burnt cigarette remnants but create unpleasant smells and do not allow easy clean up of the container collecting cigarette waste. Some allow clean up but may present other hazards. Therefore, there exists a need for a better cigarette disposal container capable of keeping the environment lifter-free, eliminating unpleasant smells, preventing fires, and allowing easy clean up. The present invention provides such a container.
Further, some conventional containers are bulky and difficult to package and ship. Thus, there is a need for a cigarette urn that can be easily packaged and shipped.